


Finding Hope

by moonewriting



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:27:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26840629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonewriting/pseuds/moonewriting
Summary: Lance has been alive a lot longer than most. He's seen many die, generations pass, his friends gone, and now his only companion has left him too. The years can only go by as he silently grieves. But maybe today can be different.
Relationships: Allura & Coran & Hunk & Keith & Lance & Pidge | Katie Holt & Shiro, Keith & Keith's Wolf & Lance (Voltron), Keith & Keith's Wolf (Voltron), Keith & Lance (Voltron), Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Kudos: 33





	Finding Hope

A lean, athletically-inclined man suffer from countless scarred reminders of his history. The man was nothing like the naive boy he had once been. His bronze skin darkened from years under the blazing stars expanding the universe. Even his cinnamon hair had now grown and became unkempt over the decades of near solitude.

The family he once called his own, merely a memory of his past. A sad happy sort of reminder of the life he had. His closest companions have been memorialized after all their grand adventures. The deeds done, dedicated to liberation and the good of this universe and even others.

At present all he had to his name a strange wolf-like beast, left to his care. It's master disappeared years ago, a second for that person. Yet another mysterious time elapsed but this time he was fully aware of the worrisome circumstance.

And had it not been for this canine, his new master may very well have taken his own life. On that dreadful day, that horrid day they memorialized his last companion. The day he lost hope as the sole being that kept him sane was declared deceased, killed in action.

How could he!?

Leaving him all alone, abandoned and swept under the rug. The few folks that busted him forcing the ongoing relationship that snapped long ago. Wish as he might for the end of his misery it only seemed to worsen as he prayed. After all, what had he done to continue this perpetual nightmare?

With only a few to compare his sorrows to. There had been Axca, his sister, Veronica’s dearest partner throughout life. Then there was Romelle, who became Keith’s obligated adopted sister, and the new Altean ruler after Coran’s passing. Maybe Krolia, Keith’s mother, she’d just lost her son again.

But what of the few others, Kolivan, Zethrid, Ezor, Nyma, Rolo, Shay? Lance had never formed any bond with them, not even those close to his companions.

Who was left when it came down to him?

His family were all distant descendants of his relatives, and they barely knew him. They treated him differently, he didn't get to age like the rest of them after all. He knew their grandparents, raised them even, helped raised their parents too, and even helped raise them on the rare occasion. He’d lived through so many generations of his own family. He hadn't even had his own kids, stuck in his own misery and unable to connect to so many different beings.

How could any of this be fair?

Why couldn't he have simply died off like the rest?

Hell he didn't age like anyone, not even the Alteans who he resembled. If this was some sort of sick joke it had never been funny. After everything he’d survive, after being brought back from the dead for crying out loud!

He was still alive.

The soft brush of fur was just enough to gain his attention.

“Cosmo,” he called, voice hoarse as it typically was when he spoke. It’s not like he had much reason to talk when he was alone. Right?

Perking up at his name the wolf yipped gently, head rubbing against the top of his head. Clearly trying to make himself smaller, whilst providing some protective barrier around him.

“Hmm?”

Barking the wolf plopped himself on top of the man, making them both fall.

“What the frack, Cosmo!”

The whirl of a ship engine came from above, descending upon the pair. Not that Cosmo cared, as he was content to stay curled protectively over his prize. Of course that was thrown out the door when the ship landed before them, ramp touching down and earning a warning growl.

For a while they stayed like that, Cosmo’s attention firmly fixed to the aircraft as the engine settled. The man ran his hand across the coarse fur, barely soothing the alert wolf.

From within someone began to approach. A humanoid figure limped into view, once again earning Cosmo’s attention. As he continued to approach the wolf sniffed and growled, only to stop and sniff again. Cosmo shifted seemingly confused, taking another sniff then another.

Suddenly he jumped up pawing at the ground beneath him. And like an overeager pup, he ran to the stranger before they even had the chance to reveal themselves completely.

“Oof!” the stranger squawked as Cosmo happily tackled him onto the ramp.

Tail wagging with admin enthusiasm. The wolf lapped at the strangers black hair, nuzzling into their shoulder.

“Come on, Cosmo, get off of me!”

The man snapped at that voice, that oh so familiar voice yet rougher. But it couldn't be real, maybe it was just another cruel twist of fate.

“Lance! Get him off!”

That definitely wasn't just a coincidence.

“Lance!” the man called, trying to shove the overgrown beast off all the while laughing at the ticklish licks and nips.

Still Lance remained frozen. Unable to move even if he wanted, the trembling wracking his body too strong. He could feel the salty tears streaking from his eyes. Feel the burning in his lungs as they desperately fought for air. Air that didn't seem to be coming at this very moment.

And just like that, Cosmo was dashing back to him, whining and nudging at his face, his sides, and anywhere he could reach. The poor canine gently pressed his ginormous paw onto him, finally letting in the oxygen Lance needed. With a heavy sigh, Cosmo once more curled around Lance, but leaving the man open to their guest.

“Lance, are you okay!” the worried man called, racing to his side and bracing himself on Cosmo. “Lance can you hear me?”

“Ye-,” he couldn't finish too weak to go on.

“Do you remember who I am? Just nod for me, can you do that?” he asked.

“Keith,” Lance croaked, the third time he’d made a sound today, what a record.

“Don't push yourself,” Keith ordered. “Come on. Let's get you inside.”

Without waiting for a reply, Keith scooped up Lance with near ease. He limped a bit as he carried Lance, but didn't seem to mind the added weight as he hiked back towards the small house.

Lance could finally take in the changed features of the man. Keith had actually grown quite the unkept beard. Roguish, but messier than the man who left him all those years ago.

Damn, how time could be muddled with such grief.

Keith had yet to set Lance down, even as they entered his shithole of a home. Junk from ages ago scattered wherever it could make do with. The kitchen barely touched, but filled to the bring with more sentimental items.

It seemed Keith was struggling to find a suitable place to set Lance down. At the rate they were going, Lance would be in his arms all week.

“You, put me down… now,” Lance hoped he didn't sound to fucked up. But the dryness and burn in his throat seemed to make it into his voice. “Be okay.”

“When’s the last time you had water?”

Again Lance noticed an edge, something wrong with this man.

“Lance?” Keith frowned at him.

“You, water?”

“That's what I was asking.”

“No....” Lance shook his head and pointed up to Keith. “Water, when-was...the last?”

“Not important, I’m more worried about you. What happened?” Keith wondered.

“Don't talk much,” Lance hoped that would be enough. He was seriously pulling a record for talking in just a few minutes. “No one to talk to.”

“What about Cosmo?” Keith asked, looking at the wolf.

“Don't need to,” Lance retaliated.

“Well is there anywhere you can rest?”

“Fine, mullet,” Lance fought a little. “Down, now.”

“Unless you're telling me where you’ve been sleeping I don't think so.”

And there he was. The hothead was back. And stubborn as ever. Nothing new there at least. But those scars were looking fresh, and the more he looked the more Lance noticed how thin the man actually was.

“Don't need sleep.”

“Yeah, well it beats the time,” Keith snapped. “Please, Lance.”

“Up.”

“Thank you.”

Keith barely made it up the stairs before he was panting. He leaned on the wall to support them both, but still refused to put Lance down. At ;east until he found the bedroom. Then dropping Lance without any preamble.

“The Frack!” Lance would've continued if Keith hadn't decided to plop right on top of him. “Seriously?!”

“Shut up,” Keith growled, pulling at the blankets and covering them both. “Fuck I might get your covers stained.”

“With?”

“Blood.”

“Blood?”

“Yeah, blood.”

“What happened? You were, they said you were dead,” Lance was oozing vulnerability, and Cosmo did not like it if his glare to Keith was anything to go by. “They put up your memorial. Opened up a new refugee site.”

“Oh.”

“That's it, really?!”

“Not just, well I’m not dead, I guess,” Keith grinned.

“Not good enough.”

“What do you want me to say, I’m sorry. Well I am, but that doesn't change the fact that I wasn't actually dead. Got jumped by the fuckers I was allied with, and had some shit to take care of. I got out, and now I'm here, end of story,” Keith pouted.

“Keith you're literally dying and just completely ignoring the fact. Your blood is soaking us both. That fucking cut right there looks like its infected, and you're practically muscle and bones! Not to mention you keep flinching at nothing and your eyes are all foggy. Hell you're barely keeping up with this little convo,” Lance snarled.

Cosmo whined and inched closer to the pair, sniffling at their feet with puppy-dog eyes.

“Fine,” Keith huffed, throwing his legs over the bed. “You got a first-aid kit?”

“In the bathroom,” Lance pointed.

“I’ll take care of all this and then we’re going to bed.” Keith stated.

“Deal.”


End file.
